Questions tagged [crossword-clues]

A question relating to interpretation of clues in a crossword puzzle, or to generation of clues in a crossword puzzle. Use [cryptic-clues] for clues obeying the conventions of cryptic crosswords, [crosswords] or [cryptic-crosswords] for whole crosswords rather than individual clues.

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1 vote
2 answers
159 views

Two crossword clues

I don’t know why I’m making this, but here are 2 crossword clues off the top of my head. (And no, no crosswords for you!) To play rock, paper, scissors agressively? (5, 5) Apolitical reactionist? (7)
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0 votes
1 answer
161 views

Why is “ELL” the solution to the crossword clue "Loss Leader?"?

I was doing a crossword from the NY Times (from Tuesday, October 25, 2022 By Ashleigh Silveira, Nick Shephard / Will Shortz) and I got the following clue. 29 DOWN - Loss leader? The answer is "...
  • 533
4 votes
1 answer
721 views

Explain this NY Times Mini Crossword clue from Sept 20, 2022

In The Mini Crossword in the New York Times for Tuesday, September 20, 2022, there is a clue: What "taxes," "wonkery" and "I mean" are each anagrams of [5 letters] And ...
  • 5,714
5 votes
2 answers
152 views

Friends or Foes?

Text version of clues: Center of the hearth? Year ring? Yes! Crazy place? Sound sleep? Summer house? Twenty winds? Wave hello? Ten times an unknown? Only ground? Strong by chance? Soul-nourishing ...
  • 13.8k
22 votes
1 answer
420 views

The Video Gamers' Double-Duty Crossword 2

See the original HERE Video games — Trivia vs Wordplay — one more time: Here are twenty crossword clues that describe twenty video games. Solve them if you'd like! Or, if you treat each clue as ...
-1 votes
1 answer
173 views

Why does "What a good boy is Paddy! But he's in the soup this time." clue "Broth"? [closed]

The clue: What a good boy is Paddy! But he's in the soup this time. Answer: Broth. How is that?
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13 votes
2 answers
2k views

How is a crossword clue to be interpreted when it contains (… includes part of #-Direction)?

Given crossword contains two examples of these clues. This crossword is complete and correct. 43 Across reads: Component of a teacher's interview (... includes part of 28-Down) Clue for 28 down: ...
  • 133
14 votes
2 answers
748 views

A new adventure awaits! Let's go!

UPDATE: To make this puzzle fairer, the pieces have been modified to include additional hints. If you want to try and solve the puzzle with the original non-clued pieces, click here. A tale is being ...
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11 votes
1 answer
2k views

Why is “AFTS” the solution to the crossword clue "Times before eves, in ads"?

I was doing a crossword from the NY Times (from Mon, Feb 11, 2019 by Portia Lundie / Will Shortz) and I got the following clue. 51 ACROSS - Times before eves, in ads The answer is "AFTS". ...
  • 533
1 vote
1 answer
111 views

Why is 'logjam' the answer to 'function held up by traffic blockage'?

Why is 'logjam' the answer to 'function held up by traffic blockage'? I guess 'log' is function, and logjam is blockage but why 'jam/maj'? L,G & A are all correct.
4 votes
2 answers
2k views

Why is “HADAT” the solution to the crossword clue "went after"?

I was doing crossword from NY Times, from Mon, Feb 11, 2019 by Howard Barkin + Will Shortz and I got the following clue. Went after The answer is "HADAT". However, I can not find ...
  • 533
1 vote
1 answer
115 views

Saving gamer Ryan!

Ryan is an avid gamer. He has played all sorts of games ranging from consoles like Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, etc. to PC games to mobile games. One day, it was raining heavily outside and (as always)...
11 votes
1 answer
276 views

A sequence of three letter words/abbreviations

I have ten three letter words/abbreviations in a sequence, numbered 0-9, each of which differ by precisely one letter from their previous and next words. Here are clues for each of the words: The ...
5 votes
1 answer
286 views

Crossword puzzle clue Y's guys?

In the New York Times Tuesday October 14, 2008 crossword puzzle, 18 across, 4 letters, is "Y's guys?" and the answer is: It must be fairly obvious but I can't figure out what this means. The question ...
  • 155
4 votes
1 answer
506 views

Why is "arrive" an answer for the crossword clue "like desert terrain"?

Possible source: https://nytminicrossword.com/nyt-mini-crossword-answers-january-14-2020/ ACROSS 1. Listen to 5. Desolate 7. Like desert terrain 8. Lines of work 9. Monopoly purchases 10. Armed ...
9 votes
2 answers
820 views

Puzzle Hunt 02: Echoes of Change

This is part two in my clichéd treasure island puzzle series. The story carries directly on from part one. You take an incredulous look at the map. spoiler for part one "That's a bit of a cliché. "...
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20 votes
2 answers
1k views

(11 of 11: Meta) What is Pyramid Cult's All-Time Favorite?

Dear PSE users and moderators, I’m new here in PSE, but I really need your help. There was this person who gave me a black envelope consisting 10+1 pages of puzzles, and also a scribble saying: “Find ...
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4 votes
1 answer
239 views

- A Devil's Lie -

The printer's devil came into our office last night. But today he said: I am no evil (3) I never E ards (3) Ion LT fruits and vegetables (3) I did ner your room. (4) I didn't, ...
13 votes
1 answer
372 views

A Smuggled List of S'S

Smuggled this strange list from [redacted] 's place. Maybe he is making a puzzle. Who is the victim? Scarlet covers Swindler's imprecation Sour disordered equipment Smash journal ...
8 votes
1 answer
735 views

single cryptic crossword clue... sofa besmirched with urine? Nasty [9]

single cryptic crossword clue. Sofa besmirched with urine? Nasty [9] This was a clue in a recent cryptic puzzle I saw in a newspaper. I reproduce it here as I thought it might be of interest.
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5 votes
1 answer
192 views

Cryptic, then Crossword, then Clues

Answer is one word. {1}{2}{3}{4} (6) {1} [a] (7) {2} [b][c][d][e] (6) {3} [f] (3) {4} [g][h][i] (6) [a] Bonding family in cod (7) [b] Container fight (3) [c] Considering ...
5 votes
1 answer
117 views

Help with a "tougher tuesday" crossword puzzle on "animal opposites"

I assume this must be some obscure word play that I can't figure out. The overall clue of this NYT style crossword puzzle is "Animal Opposites". The three clues relevant to this overarching clue and ...
  • 153
2 votes
3 answers
317 views

Cryptic clue: Bum can't stop twitching in three directions?

Just a silly crossword-type cryptic clue. 9 letters.
  • 45
10 votes
4 answers
958 views

Thousands and thousands of words

This puzzle is part 25 of Gladys' journey across the globe. Each part can be solved independently. Nevertheless, if you are new to the series, feel free to start at the beginning: Introducing Gladys. ...
  • 69.4k
13 votes
3 answers
649 views

Drums and punctuation

This puzzle is part 19 of Gladys' journey across the globe. Each part can be solved independently. Nevertheless, if you are new to the series, feel free to start at the beginning: Introducing Gladys. ...
  • 69.4k
10 votes
2 answers
637 views

A burglar's sunglasses, a lady's odyssey

This puzzle is part 17 of Gladys' journey across the globe. Each part can be solved independently. Nevertheless, if you are new to the series, feel free to start at the beginning: Introducing Gladys. ...
  • 69.4k
16 votes
6 answers
2k views

Moons and messages

This puzzle is part 15 of Gladys' journey across the globe. Each part can be solved independently. Nevertheless, if you are new to the series, feel free to start at the beginning: Introducing Gladys. ...
  • 69.4k
19 votes
3 answers
906 views

Fortune tellers have dinner

I've seen these before somewhere (maybe here?), but they're all mixed up! Who/what is being described by the clues below? Consequence of a disastrous harvest What a mathematician might do to ...
  • 16.2k
20 votes
1 answer
347 views

The Defining Moment

I'm not sure what to put here... but I'll do it regardless! ...
  • 16.2k
10 votes
2 answers
1k views

cryptic clue: mammal sounds like relative consumer (8)

While solving this cryptic I figured out the answer to 1-across (mammal sounds like relative consumer) without solving the subsidiary indication. (I used down constraints and the standard part of the ...
24 votes
3 answers
729 views

The Video Gamers' Double-Duty Crossword

"OK, so I know that you two are always arguing about what type of crosswords to do- 'Normal crosswords are too boring!' 'Cryptics are too esoteric!!' Trivia vs wordplay, yeah, I've heard both ...
3 votes
4 answers
626 views

Is there a cryptic crossword clue that doesn't contain any actual word?

Is there a cryptic crossword clue that just contains some letter groups, numbers, and other things, but no actual words? I mean the clue, not the solution.
3 votes
4 answers
228 views

Is it fair to interlink clues?

Is it fair to link clues both ways? E.g. can I do: 1a. Local girl gives 8 (4, 4) 8d. 1 gives smooth head (5, 5) I'm quite libertarian. What could I get away ...
5 votes
1 answer
224 views

A Howler's Disposition

An entry in Fortnightly Topic Challenge #37: Rare and Endangered 1 I've made a 5X5 word square, meaning that each word is 5 letters long and the words are the same in those positions horizontally and ...
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3 votes
3 answers
558 views

You only have five

1: dim advantage in first French Expansion (4,5): Kiss Pain Boot City History Again Eat Avid (5,13,13,5,3,4) 2: undisturbed apartment ground hideout attach badge punch holder 1,3: advantage protect ...
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10 votes
2 answers
1k views

A nice 5x5 word square

Clues: type of Indian cows; what's done to money; needs a good groom; more than deserved; needs a good groom. Construct the word square! (I created it myself; hoping the above is enough info to ...
4 votes
2 answers
356 views

7X7(Borrowed words Puzzle)

7X7(Borrowed words Puzzle) Note : The main purpose of this puzzle is not just for someone to answer it, but I hope someone can also Tell what types of this puzzle is exactly,as you can see i just ...
8 votes
3 answers
591 views

Laddergram to start off your day?

I thought I'd try my hand at creating a Laddergram, a format of puzzle I've seen in Dell's Pencil Puzzles and Word Games. The rules here are: on each row, there are three words given by clues. The ...
2 votes
2 answers
208 views

Word length for acronyms

Is IDS Center (3, 6) or (1, 1, 1, 6)? My sense is that (1, 1, 1, 6) would have been preferred last century, but with acronyms increasingly used in everyday life, (3, 6) would now be acceptable.
9 votes
1 answer
670 views

Crossword clue from today

A splendid clue from today's "London Times" crossword: One my Dr's treated? (8) Bonus point if you know the technical name for this kind of clue!
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21 votes
2 answers
3k views

BBC's Regular Expression Puzzle

Rather than use traditional hints, each square must be a match of the regular expression associated with the row or column. Source
  • 321
-6 votes
5 answers
2k views

Non-existence — it's isn't and does exist

The middle of a line stretching for eternity in both sides, in words I am. No thing is not me. Me exists but does not live. I and me—we together is non-existence. What is we? ...
7 votes
2 answers
861 views

Something's missing

I recently received an e-mail from my cousin who knows I am into puzzles. The body of the puzzles was weird and only thing I know is that he talked about being excited about something the last time I ...
  • 15.1k
2 votes
1 answer
90 views

Rightmost Til Stack?

I'm rather confused by a clue and it's answer in the USA Today crossword from January 19th, 2017. The clue is 26-down. Clue Rightmost til stack Answer I had to look up that answer, and I still ...
  • 121
3 votes
6 answers
483 views

Crossword Clues for DRAWI and TAKEF

I'm designing a crossword right now and am looking for clues for the answers DRAWI and TAKEF. I've been thinking each answer ...
  • 193
5 votes
2 answers
394 views

Crossword Clue for ERECS

I'm designing a crossword right now and am looking for a clue for the word "ERECS." It has appeared in a crossword before, but I'm not exactly sure about "ERECS" as "Sets up." Is there any chance "...
  • 193
9 votes
2 answers
570 views

A message to a Puzzling User

I have decided to send a message to a fellow Puzzling User. Solve the following clues to find out the message: An intense request for a bargain (4) Shorten this great community without ...
  • 15.1k
2 votes
1 answer
115 views

A non-descript cryptic clue

Couldn't find the following cryptic clue on Puzzling, I've been told it's one of the very best: ? (1, 5'1, 3, 1, 4)
  • 21.9k
12 votes
7 answers
1k views

The Dice Star Strikes Back

This puzzle is based on another one: called A star made of dice from a popular Italian puzzle maker @Alenanno (Who also helped me with this one). However there have been some modifications to make ...
  • 18.6k
4 votes
1 answer
325 views

Golf ... driving test?

Today's NYT mini crossword had an across clue "Driving test?" for which the answer was "GOLF" (I got it by all the down clues). How does that work? I looked it up and saw that "GOLFGAME" was used as ...